The CIRTL Network: Shaping, Connecting, and Supporting the Future National STEM Faculty.

The Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL; http://cirtl.net/) uses graduate education as the leverage point to develop a national STEM faculty with the capability and commitment to implement and improve effective teaching and learning practices for all students. To achieve this vision, CIRTL has formed the CIRTL Network of six diverse research universities: the University of Colorado at Boulder, Howard University, Michigan State University, Texas A&M University, Vanderbilt University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. CIRTL's strategy is to support a learning community of diverse research universities engaged in preparing future faculty in teaching and learning for all students. This strategy is built upon three research-based concepts: (a) integrate improving teaching and learning within a STEM research model (teaching-as research); (b) embed professional development within a learning community of and for STEM future and current faculty; and (c) enhance the learning of all through the diversity of students (learning-through-diversity). Through national CIRTL Forums, Web sites, publications, presentations to STEM disciplines, and collaborations with national higher education organizations, CIRTL will continue to be a focal point for the national conversation on the preparation of future STEM faculty. Once our scale-up strategy is demonstrated to be successful, the CIRTL Network will grow in number of universities and future faculty. Ultimately, the impact of this work will be to provide to every undergraduate institution STEM faculty who enable all students to achieve STEM literacy, whose teaching enhances recruitment into STEM careers, and whose leadership ensures the continued advancement of STEM education. CIRTL is funded through the Division of Undergraduate Education of the National Science Foundation (Award 0717768, 2008-2011). For more information, please contact Bruce Herbert, Co-PI (herbert@geo.tamu.edu).